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Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter I Introduction to Sound of English………………………………………… 3
I.1 Varied Pronunciations .............................................................................................. 3
I.2 Sounds ......................................................................................................................... 4
I.3 Rules for using correct stress patterns .................................................................... 4
I.4 Sentence Rhythm and Weak forms ......................................................................... 6
I.4.1 Sentence Rhythm .................................................................................................... 6
I.4.2Weak forms .............................................................................................................. 7
Chapter II Conversation expressions……………………………………………..…. 9
II.1 Greetings ................................................................................................................... 9
II.1.1 formal greetings .................................................................................................... 9
II.1.2 Informal greetings ................................................................................................. 9
II.2 Asking about social condition .............................................................................. 10
II.3 Asking and giving direction or and address...................................................... 10
II.4 Taking leave expression ........................................................................................ 11
II.5 self-introduction ..................................................................................................... 11
II.6 Introducing someone ............................................................................................. 12
II.7 Farewells.................................................................................................................. 12
II.7 Other question ........................................................................................................ 12
II.9 Ways to Say Thank You ........................................................................................ 12
II.10 Phrases for Asking for Information ................................................................... 13
II.11 Phrases for Asking for Someone’s Opinion & Giving Your Opinion .......... 14
II.12 Phrases for Not Having an Opinion .................................................................. 14
II.13 Expressions about Age ........................................................................................ 16
II.14 Ways to End a Conversation Politely ................................................................ 17
II.15 Phrases for Telephone Calls ............................................................................... 17
II.16 numbers ................................................................................................................. 18
Chapter III The sentence………………………………………………………………20
III.1 Classification of sentences ................................................................................... 20
III.1.1 Classification according to the purpose ......................................................... 20
III.1.2 Sentences classified according to structure .................................................... 23
Chapter IV Different types of dialogues…………………………………………….27
IV. 1 Weekend plans ..................................................................................................... 27
IV.2 A visit to the doctor’s office ................................................................................ 29
IV.3 Going to the market ............................................................................................. 31

Conversation course I Syllabus for Bac1 students of ISTA/KOLWEZI. By: Assistant David
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INTRODUCTION
Aim of the course
This course scheduled for Bac 1 student aim at providing materials
related everyday use expression to allow them to speak and
pronounce English well.
By the end of this course a learner will be able to:
- Apply the rules of stress pattern.
- Identify elements of conversation that will allow them master
English structure.
- Make up sentences by using different technical words (English
for engineering) of their domain.

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO SOUNDS OF ENGLISH:

When we deal with any language we have to master all the four
major communicative aspects of that language. They are
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing (LSRW). We get enough
exposure for reading, writing and listening but for speaking we
don’t get enough opportunity. Hence, we are unable to speak
correctly (properly, confidently and with proper pronunciation).
We use language to communicate and establish relationships with
people around us. One’s pronunciation is acceptable when the
listener is able to understand the speaker’s content, nature and
meaning without any distortion. Pronunciation differs from region
to region. By being careful in speech habits we can avoid simple
mistakes. We know that English is a Universal language used and
spoken in different parts of the world like USA, UK, India, Canada,
Australia, etc. The style of speaking (pronunciation) is different in
different parts of the world. There is nothing called “correct
pronunciation” because there is no one right way of speaking.
Pronunciation is the manner of uttering or speaking (words and
sounds), and good pronunciation is the way of speaking that
ordinary people find easy to understand. Daniel Jones defines
‘bad’ pronunciation as, “a way of talking which is difficult for most
people to understand.” One should refer to a good dictionary like
Oxford’s Advanced Learners Dictionary or Cambridge Dictionary
to know acceptable English pronunciations of words. Dictionaries
give the pronunciation of a word in phonemic symbols, it is
essential to be familiar with phonemic transcription. Learning
appropriate pronunciation techniques gives one the confidence to
avoid common lapses and errors in speaking.
A basic understanding of the sound system of the English
language is very important in effective oral communication. The
ability to produce individual sounds, both in isolation and in
combination with other sounds, also plays a significant role in
effective oral communication. Pronunciation is far more than the
accurate production of individual sounds. Pronunciation is the way
a word or a language is usually spoken or the manner in which
someone utters the words of a language. To develop proper oral
communication proper pronunciation is one of the key factors. It
is important to understand the sound system of English, including
various aspects
such as individual sounds-consonants and vowels. Production of
speech, word stress, sentence stress (intonation), or the variation
of speech are highly essential for proper pronunciation.

I.1 Varied Pronunciations

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Interestingly, there is no such thing called correct pronunciation.

The pronunciation of English varies from one country to another
and there are marked pronunciation features associated with
English spoken in important English speaking countries like the
United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, and Australia.
Even within the United Kingdom, there are variations between
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. One particular
accent, called Received Pronunciation (RP) has come to be
accepted as the standard in the United Kingdom. Thus, it is better
to consider pronunciation in terms of ‘acceptable pronunciation’
and ‘unacceptable pronunciation’ rather than correct or incorrect
pronunciation. Acceptable pronunciation is, clearly intelligible to
all ordinary people whereas ‘unacceptable pronunciation’ refers to
a way of talking that is difficult for most people to understand. In
order to, learn correct English pronunciation we have to
understand sounds and basics of phonetics. Indian speakers of
English suffer from a typical problem that is known as Mother
Tongue Influence (MTI). Here, the pronunciation of English
varies from region to region. As English, is not our mother tongue
we speak this language as either a second language or third
language. As a result, our vocal chords are already conditioned
with the language we speak (mother tongue and in case with a
second language). The tinge and touch of mother tongue is
reflected in our speech when we utter the English language. While
speaking we must consciously avoid MTI to be understood by
others. In order to do that we should try to speak in a neutral
accent.

I.2 Sounds

When letters are represented by sounds in a logical sequence it is

known as phonetics. There is no one to one relationship between
letters and sounds in English language. As there are only 26
alphabets/letters but 44 sounds. Sounds are generally
categorized by the place of articulation, method of articulation,
and voicing. While individual sounds are the most basic elements
of a language, they do not mean anything by themselves.
However, certain sounds like /I/ at the end of words such as
school, chill, kneel, etc. symbolizes prolongation of the sound and
/ŋ/ at the end of a word means continuous vibrating sound.
Letters are seen and sounds are heard. Letters provide a means
of sounds. Each and every sound is represented by a 39

I.3 Rules for using correct stress patterns

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English language has developed to such an extent that, there are

presently millions of words in its dictionary. Dealing with such a
huge number of words in terms of stress is very difficult. As most
words are derived from different world languages. But still an
attempt can be made to do so. It is difficult to give a
comprehensive list 44

of rules for accenting words/syllables. However, the following

rules can help one get the proper accent.
1) Words with weak prefixes are accented on the root.
E.g. abroad, account, above, affect, disarm, disable, disown,
predate, recall, unsaid, unseat, recite, precast, prelude, etc.
2) In most two-syllabic words containing a long vowel, the stress
is generally on the syllable with the long vowel sound.
E.g. artist, accrue, father, farmer, machine, starter, carbon,
market, import, harvest, margin, teacher, argue, leader, impart,
insert, season, etc.
3) Word ending in –ee are generally accented on the last syllable.
E.g. agree, degree, decree, referee, trustee, etc.
4) Words ending in –tion are generally accented on the syllable
before it.
E.g. action, attention, attraction, caption confirmation, collection,
introduction, intention sanctionestimation, friction, limitation, etc.
5) Words ending in –sion, -ssion, -cion, and –shion have the
stress on the syllable before it.
e.g. mansion, expansion, pension, diffusion, commission,
concession, fashion, suspicion, possession, etc.
6) Words ending in –ic,-ical, -ically, -ious, -ially, -ial, -logy, -
nomy,-graphy, have generally the stress on the syllable preceding
the suffix.
E.g. academic, specific, aromatic, artistic, mechanic, electric,
magnetic, electrical, essential, partial, delicious, cautious,
suspicious, economic, precious, magic, confidential, photography,
geography, etc.
7) Words ending in –icy, -ify,- and –ty have the stress generally
on the third syllable form the end.
E.g. policy, scarcity, codify, identity, pacify, clarity, facility,
locality, purity, totality, classify, morality, charity, punctuality,
activity, etc.
8) The suffixes –eer, -self, -ever, -ique, and –mental are accented
on the last syllable. E.g. career, herself, myself, however, forever,
whatever, physique, unique, departmental, experimental,
sentimental, compartmental, etc.

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9) The suffixes –ed, -ment, -es, -ing, -age, -ance, -en, -ess, -ful,
-hood, -ice, -ish, -ive, -less, -ly, -ness, -or, -ship, -ter, -ure, -y, -
zen do not affect the stress pattern of the original word.
E.g. affect – affected, court – courtship
10) The suffixes –al, -ible, -ial, and –ially generally affect the
stress pattern.
E.g. accident –accidental, origin – original, sentiment –
sentimental, access – accessible, President – presidential, etc.’
11) The stress pattern in the two syllabic English words that
function with both as nouns/adjectives and as verbs generally
depends upon the grammatical category of the words. The stress
is on the first syllable if the word is used as a noun or adjective
and on the second syllable if it is a verb.
Noun /adjective ------------- Verb
Convert -----Convert
Process ----- Process
Transport -----Transport
Conduct ------ Conduct
Contact -----Contact

I.4 Sentence Rhythm and Weak forms

I.4.1 Sentence Rhythm

Sentence rhythm refers to the phonological structure of the

language. English is a rhythmic language. Rhythm refers to the
timing pattern. There are two factors that influence the rhythm of
English: sentence stress and connected speech. Maintaining a
rhythm in a speech makes the speech sound natural and fluent.
Sentences contain both content and function words. The rhythm
produced by the stressed and unstressed words in a sentence is
a major characteristic of spoken English. Using only the strong
forms (i.e. stressing all the words) in sentences may make a
speech sound dull and artificial. The listener also may not
understand the intended emphasis or meaning in the speech.
Speed is another important factor for fluency in English. When we
speak, we do not speak words in isolations but group them and
speak without any pauses between them. Unstressed words
always sound different when used in a sentence as against when
used in isolation. The most common feature of connected speech
is the weak forms of function words such as of, have, was, to,
has, etc., and contractions such as can’t, haven’t, shouldn’t,
won’t, didn’t, they’ve, etc. However, we ignore other features,
namely elision (losing sounds as in the word listen), linking
(adding or joining sounds between words as in ‘far away’), and
assimilation (changing sounds when two words are combined s in

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‘good girl’), that help preserve rhythm in our utterances. In

addition to these features, there is schwa--- the most common
vowel sound spoken in unstressed words in English. Stressed and
Unstressed syllables are helpful in creating characteristics rhythm
in a sentence. Unstressed syllables are clouded together and
pronounced rapidly whereas stressed syllables are pronounced
more clearly. Thus, accented/stressed syllables with no stressed
syllables in between them are prolonged. The speed of delivery,
therefore, depends on the number of unstressed syllables
between the two stressed ones.

I.4.2Weak forms

The weak form of a word is used when the word has no stress and
is phonetically distinct from its strong/full form. A weak form is
an unstressed syllable. A word may have multiple weak forms or
none. In the English language there are around 45 such words,
where it has got two pronunciations (one strong and one weak
form). Words of this kind may be called 47 weak form words.
Since almost all native speakers of RP use weak forms in their
pronunciation, it becomes difficult for non-native speakers to
understand without learning those words properly. The main
words with weak forms in RP are as follows:
a, am, an, and, are, as, at, be, been, but, can, could, do,
does, for, from, had, has, have, he, her, him, his, just, me,
must, of, shall, she, should, some, than, that, the, them,
there, to, us, was, we, were, who, would, you.
In the word list the weak pronunciation is generally used in
connected speech whereas the strong pronunciation is used when
the word is stressed or spoken in isolation, and also when the
word comes at the end of a sentence. Consider the following
examples:
i) I am looking for my book. … Weak pronunciation.
What are you looking for? … Strong pronunciation.
ii) I am going to the party. …Weak pronunciation.
What are you up to? … Strong pronunciation.
The use of weak forms is integral to stress patterns in English
because the unstressed words are reduced to give prominence to
accented syllables. This weakening of unstressed syllables in a
sentence is a characteristic feature of spoken English. Let’s
consider a few more examples.
i) And: full form: /ænd/, weak form: /nd/,/n/
Bread and butter (weak form), you should not put ‘and’ at the end
of a sentence (full form).
ii) Can: full form: /kæn/: weak form: /kƏn/

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Malini can speak English better than I can. The first can is the
weak form while the second is the full form

CHAPTER II CONVERSATION EXPRESSIONS

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II.1 Greetings
II.1.1 formal greetings
▪ Good morning
▪ Good afternoon
▪ Good evening
II.1.2 Informal greetings
▪ Morning
▪ Afternoon
▪ Evening
▪ Hi!
▪ Hello!
▪ Hey!
Reaction (NATALIE XUÂN VĂN)

How are you?

▪ Fantastic
▪ I’m fine
▪ Great, thanks.
▪ Good
▪ Fine thanks
▪ Very well thank you
▪ Pretty good.
▪ I’m in the pink.
▪ I’m full of beans
▪ I’m alright
▪ I’m just okay.
▪ I’m okay
▪

Replying

What about you?

And you?
▪ Fantastic too.
▪ I’m fine too
▪ Great, thanks too
▪ Good too
▪ Fine thanks too.
▪ Very well thank you too
▪ Pretty good too
▪ I’m in the pink too
▪ I’m full of beans too

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▪ I’m alright too

▪ I’m just okay too.
▪ I’m okay too.
II.2 Asking about social condition

Questions
▪ What’s news?
▪ What a short story?
Reactions
▪ No comment.
▪ No news.
▪ Nothing special
▪ I don’t complain
Questions
▪ What’s up?
▪ What’s happening?
▪ What’s going on?
▪ What have you been up to?
▪
Reactions
▪ Not much.
▪ Nothing much.
▪ Not a lot.

II.3 Asking and giving direction or and address

Question
▪ Where are you going?
▪ Where do you go?
▪ Where to?
Reaction
▪ I’m going to school.
▪ I’m going to church
▪ I’m going to the Barber’s.
▪ I’m going downtown.
▪ I’m going to the grocer’s.
▪ I’m going to Saint Paul’s.
▪ I go home.

Question
▪ Where are you coming from?
▪ Where do you come from?

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▪ Where from?
Reaction
▪ I’m coming from church.
▪ I’m from home.
▪ I come from job.
Question
▪ Where do you live?
▪ Where are you going?
▪ Where is your dwelling place?
Reaction

▪ I live in ………………………. Quarter/Township, on ………………….

Street/ avenue at ………………
▪ I’m living in ………………………. Quarter/Township, on
…………………. Street/ avenue at ………………
▪ My dwelling place is in ……………………. Quarter/Township, on
…………………. Street/ avenue at ………………
Question
▪ Please where is Malu bus-stop?
▪ Can you show me the nearest filling/petrol station?
▪ Would you tell me where Mwangeji hospital is.
Reaction
▪ Okay good. If you want to go on foot/by bus. Go straight
till you reach…………….. turn on right/left, go straight till you
reach ………………. Take your right/left start counting the
first, the second, the third avenue etc…

II.4 Taking leave expression

▪ My love to your family
▪ Remember me to your brother/sister etc…
▪ Pass greeting to your …………………etc…
▪ Pass hello to your …………………………. etc

Reaction
• The same to you.
• I’m sure I shall.
• I’ll certainly do it.
II.5 self-introduction
• Dears ….
• Dears Sirs
• Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself.
• I would like to introduce myself, my name is ……………, I’m
a Lecturer at ISTA/Kolwezi I live in etc…

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II.6 Introducing someone

• Please, allow me to introduce you my …………….
• Let me introduce you my family etc…
• This is my friend KAZADI
Reaction
• Nice to meet you.
• Happy to see tou.
• Pleased to see you.
• How do you do.

II.7 Farewells
• It was a pleasure seeing/meeting you.
• It was nice seeing/meeting you.
• Good night.
• Good bye/bye-bye.
• Take care.
• Have a nice day/evening.
• See you (later/soon)
• So long.
• Cheerio!

II.7 Other question

❖ How old are you?
Reaction
I’m twenty years old
❖ Are you married?
Reaction
• Yes, I am.
• No, I’m single.
• No, I’m a bachelor (M).
• No, I’m a spinster (f).
• No, I’m divorced.
• No, I’m widowed.
What’s your (tele)phone number?
• My phone number is 0998345643. It is read; ou or zero one,
nine, nine, eight, three, four, five, six, four, three.
II.9 Ways to Say Thank You (Oliveira)
1. Thanks.
2. Thanks a lot.
3. Thank you so much.
4. Thanks a million!
5. Thanks for your help. / Thanks for helping me.

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6. I really appreciate it.

7. I’m really grateful.
8. That’s so kind of you.
9. I can’t thank you enough.
(for extremely important things)
10. I owe you one.
(this means you want/need to do a favor for the other person in
the future)
Reaction
1. You’re welcome.
2. No problem.
3. No worries.
4. Don’t mention it.
5. My pleasure.
6. Anytime.
7. It was the least I could do.
8. Glad to help.
9. Sure!
10. Thank you.
(use this when you ALSO have something to thank the other
person for)
II.10 Phrases for Asking for Information
1. Can you tell me...?
2. Could you tell me...?
3. I'd like to know...
4. Do you know...
5. Do you have any idea...?
6. Could anyone tell me...?
(use this phrase when asking a group of people)
7. Would you happen to know...?
8. I don't suppose you (would) know...?
9. I was wondering…
10. I’m calling to find out…
(use this phrase on the telephone)
Ways to Say “I don’t know”
1. I have no idea/clue.
2. I can’t help you there.
3. (informal) Beats me.
4. I’m not really sure.
5. I’ve been wondering that, too.

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II.11 Phrases for Asking for Someone’s Opinion & Giving Your
Opinion
1. What do you think about...?
2. How do you feel about…?
3. What's your opinion of...?
4. What are your views on...?
5. In my opinion…
6. I'd say...
7. Personally, I think/believe...
8. If you ask me...
9. The way I see it...
10. From my point of view…
II.12 Phrases for Not Having an Opinion
1. I’ve never given it much thought.
2. I don’t have strong feelings either way.
3. It doesn’t make any difference to me.
4. I have no opinion on the matter.
5. (very informal) Whatever.
Phrases for Agreeing
1. Exactly.
2. Absolutely.
3. That’s so true.
4. That’s for sure.
5. I agree 100%
6. I couldn’t agree with you more.
7. That’s exactly what I think. / That’s exactly how I feel.
8. (informal) Tell me about it! / You’re telling me!
9. (informal) I’ll say!
10. I suppose so.
(use this phrase for weak agreement – you agree, but reluctantly)
Note: Avoid the common error of saying “I’m agree” – the correct
phrase is “I agree” or
“I’m in agreement” – the second one is more formal.
Phrases for Disagreeing
1. I don’t think so.
2. I beg to differ.
3. I’m afraid I don’t agree.
4. I’m not so sure about that.
5. That’s not how I see it.
6. Not necessarily.
7. Yes, but… [say your opinion]
8. On the contrary.

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9. (very informal) No way!

10. (very strong) I totally disagree.
Phrases for Responding to Good News
1. Congratulations!
2. That’s great!
3. How wonderful!
4. Awesome!
5. I’m so happy for you!
Phrases for Responding to Bad News
1. Oh no…
2. That’s terrible.
3. Poor you.
(Use this to respond to bad situations that are not too serious)
4. I’m so sorry to hear that.
5. I’m sorry for your loss.
(Use this only if someone has died)
Phrases for Invitations
1. Are you free… [Saturday night?]
2. Are you doing anything… [Saturday night?]
3. Let me check my calendar.
4. (informal) Do you wanna… [see a movie?]
5. (formal) Would you like to… [join me for dinner?]
6. I’d love to!
7. Sounds great!
8. I’d love to, but I have another commitment.
9. I don’t think I can.
10. Maybe another time.
Ways to Make & Respond to an Offer
1. (more formal) Would you like a drink?
2. (informal) Do you want some water?
3. Can I get you something to eat?
4. That’d be great, thanks. (= yes)
5. No, thanks. I’m OK. (= no)
Phrases for Talking About Future Plans
1. I’m going to…
2. I’m planning to…
3. I hope to…
4. I’d like to…
5. I might… / I may…
6. I’m thinking about…
Ways to Talk about Likes & Dislikes
1. I love… [soccer]

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2. I’m really into… [soccer]

3. I live for… [soccer]
4. [soccer] is my thing.
5. I’m crazy about… [soccer]
6. I’m not a huge fan of… [modern art]
7. [Modern art] isn’t my cup of tea.
8. I don’t really care for… [modern art]
9. I’m not into… [modern art]
10. I can’t stand… [modern art]
(this phrase expresses strong dislike)
Ways to Make a Suggestion
1. How about… [ex. trying something new]?
2. Why don’t you… [ex. talk to your boss]?
3. Maybe we should… [ex. do more research].
4. I’d recommend… [ex. going to the doctor].
5. Have you thought about… [ex. buying a new computer]?
Phrases for Asking/Talking about Jobs
1. Where do you work?
2. What do you do? / What do you do for a living?
3. I work at… [Microsoft].
4. I’m a/an… [accountant] .
5. I’m unemployed. / I’m between jobs at the moment.
6. I’m looking for work.
7. I’m a stay-at-home mom/dad.
8. I run my own business.
9. I’m a freelance… [writer/designer/etc.]
10. I’m retired.

Phrases for Saying Something is Easy & Difficult

1. It’s a piece of cake.
2. It’s a cinch.
3. It’s a breeze.
4. Anyone can do it.
5. There’s nothing to it.
6. It’s hard.
7. It’s a bit tricky.
8. It’s really tough.
9. It’s not a walk in the park.
10. It’s very demanding.
(= it takes a lot of time and energy)
II.13 Expressions about Age
1. She’s in her early twenties.

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(=20-23 years old)

2. He’s in his late thirties.
(=37-39 years old)
3. She just turned six.
4. Act your age!
(use this when an adult is being immature, acting like a child)
5. I’m not as young as I used to be.
6. I’m not over the hill yet!
(over the hill = an informal expression to say “old”)
7. He’s no spring chicken.
(= he’s not young)
8. She’s wise beyond her years.
(she is young, but she has the wisdom of an older person)
9. I’m having a senior moment.
(= I’m being forgetful)
10. He lived to a ripe old age.
(= a very old age)
II.14 Ways to End a Conversation Politely
1. It was nice chatting with you.
2. Well, it’s getting late.
3. Anyway, I should get going.
4. (formal) Sorry, but I’m afraid I need to…
5. I’m sorry to cut you off, but I actually gotta run.
(cut you off = interrupt you)

II.15 Phrases for Telephone Calls

1. Hi, this is Jane.

2. (formal) May I speak with John Smith?
3. (informal) Is John there?
4. I’m calling about…
5. I’m returning your call.
6. (formal) One moment, please.
7. (informal) Hang on a sec.
8. He’s not here. Would you like to leave a message?
9. Could you ask him to call me back?
10. Thanks for calling.

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II.16 NUMBERS

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CHAPTER III THE SENTENCE

A sentence is the most fundamental and versatile tool available

to the writer. Sentences generally flow from a subject, to a verb,
to any objects, complements, or modifiers, but can be ordered in
a variety of ways to achieve emphasis. When shifting word order
for emphasis, however, be aware that word order in the meaning
of a sentence.
He was only the accountant.
He was the only accountant.
We can define a sentence as a group of words that express a
complete thought
Consider the following group of words:

INCOMPLETE THOUGHT COMPLETE THOUGHT

arrived today
were congratulated warmly
The weary technicians are from ISTA
repaired the damage
reported the situation
went to rest

SUBJECT AND PREDICATE

A sentence consists of two basic parts, the subject and the

predicate. The subject of a sentence, a noun or a pronoun (and
its modifiers) is the part about which something is being said. The
predicate is the part that says something about the subject.
Although a subject may appear anywhere in a sentence, it most
often appears at the beginning.
Subject Predicate
Lightning strikes

The Simple Predicate or Verb

The simple predicate is the verb (or verb phrase) alone; the
complete predicate is the verb and its modifiers and
complements. A compound predicate consists of two or more
verbs with the same subject. It is an important device for
conciseness in writing.
The principal word or group of words in the predicate is called the
simple predicate, or the verb. The predicate is the part of a
sentence that contains the main verb and any other words used

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to complete the thought of the sentence (the verb’s modifiers and

complements).

• Helen worked quickly and efficiently. [The complete

predicate is worked quickly and efficiently. The simple
predicate, or verb, is worked.]
• The secretary typed the letter fast. [The complete
predicate is typed the letter fast. The verb is typed.]
The Simple Subject
The simple subject is the main word or combination of words that
names the person, place, thing, or idea about which something is
being said.

1. The performance of these engines shows the expertise of

industrial technicians in the late 1800’s. [The complete
subject is The performance of these engines.
The simple subject is performance.]

Students on various specialties received awards. [The complete

subject is Students on various specialties. The simple subject is
Students.]
Compound subjects and compound verbs

A compound subject consists of two or more subjects that are

joined by a conjunction and have the same verb. The usual
connecting words are and and or.
The books and all the documents were at the library. [compound
subject: books
and documents]
Electronics, Mechanics, and Computation are specialities
ISTA/KIAT.
[compound subject: Electronics, Mechanics, and Computation ]
A compound verb consists of two or more verbs that are joined
by a conjunction and have the same subject.
1) Helen chose a seat near the door and sat down. [compound
verb: chose and sat]
2) Ista offers academic teaching, provides workshop training, and
strengthens knowledge. [compound verb: offers, provides, and
strengthens]

III.1 CLASSIFICATION OF SENTENCES

III.1.1 Classification according to the purpose

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Sentences may be classified according to their purpose.

Sentences may have four purposes: (1) to make a statement, (2)
to ask a question, (3) to command or request, or (4) to exclaim.

(1) A declarative sentence is a sentence that makes a

statement.
• Mechatronics is a branch of Mechanics dealing with
electronics.
(2) An interrogative sentence is a sentence that asks a
question.
These sentences ask questions. Accordingly, they end with a
question mark. For example:
We can have an interrogative in three main ways:
a) By inversion of Subject and Verb (auxiliaries and modals)
• Have you seen the IIIE Journal yet?
b) By using Do/does/did + S+V+
c) By using Question Words

QUESTION WORDS
An interrogative word or question word is a function word used to
ask a question, such as what, when, where, who, whom, why,
and how. They are sometimes called wh-words, because in
English most of them start with wh- (compare Five Ws).
Interrogative words in English include:
interrogative determiner
which, what
whose (personal possessive determiner)

Interrogative pro-form

interrogative pronoun
who, whom, whose (personal)
what, which

Interrogative pro-adverb

where (location)
whither (goal)
whence (source)
when (time)
how (manner)
why (reason)
whether and whatsoever (choice between alternatives)

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Certain pronominal adverbs may also be used as interrogative

words, such as whereby or wherefore.
Forms with -ever
Most English interrogative words can take the suffix -ever, to form
words such as whatever and wherever. (Older forms of the suffix
are -so and -soever, as in whoso and whomsoever.) These words
have the following main meanings:
As more emphatic interrogative words, often expressing disbelief
or puzzlement in mainly rhetorical questions: Whoever could have
done such a thing? Wherever has he gone?
To form free relative clauses, as in I'll do whatever you do,
whoever challenges us shall be punished, Go to wherever they
go. In this use, the nominal -ever words (who(m)ever, whatever,
whichever) can be regarded as indefinite pronouns or as relative
pronouns.
To form adverbial clauses with the meaning "no matter
where/who/etc.": Wherever they hide, I will find them.
Some of these words have also developed independent meanings,
such as however as an adverb meaning "nonetheless";
whatsoever as an emphatic adverb used with no, none, any,
nothing, etc. (I did nothing wrong whatsoever); and whatever in
its slang usage.

RELATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE LINKS (Allen, 1969)

Note: Who, what, which, where, why; etc…, are very important
as link-words. They form a very elementary type of complex
sentences that is extremely common in both spoken and written
English.
An infinitive phrase is usual when the subjects of both sections
are identical, the sense of the infinitive phrase being future.
Eg:
1. I don’t know which to take.
2. I don’t know which I took.
3. Tell him where to go
4. Ask him what to do
N.B: ‘who’’ is used in both subjective and objective cases.

When the subjects are different, a clause is always added.

a) I don’t know who she was speaking to.
b) He asked me how I had done it.
EMPHATIC CONNECTIVES

Note: who, what, which, whose, when, where, how + ever

All written as single words, whoever, whatever, etc

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There are two uses in modern English

I. In the sense of it doesn’t matter who, which, when,
etc.
a) Whoever says that is a liar.
b) I’ll sell it to whoever come first.
c) Eat whatever you like.
d) I’ll do whatever you tell me.
e) We were warmly welcomed wherever we went.
f) We shall be pleased to see you whenever you care to
call.
g) Learn whichever poem you find most interesting.
Parenthetically (suggesting ignorance or indifference).
1. I’ll give the pen back to Henry or John, or whoever it
belongs.
2. I’ll come at 10 or 10.30, or whenever I can get there.

• Have you seen the IIIE Journal yet?

(3) An imperative sentence is a sentence that gives a
command or makes a request.
• Deliver your paper in the usual way.
• Please send me the data next week.
(4) An exclamatory sentence is a sentence that expresses
strong feeling or emotion.
• Ah, you have solved the problem!
NB. It is rather unlikely that in a piece of technical report you
should have to use an exclamatory sentence; however, it is
convenient to remember the purpose of such sentences.
III.1.2 SENTENCES CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO
STRUCTURE

Classified according to their structure, there are four kinds of

sentences: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex.

(1) A simple sentence is a sentence with one independent

clause and no subordinate clauses.
• The invention of the microchip is the beginning of
personal computing.
(2) A compound sentence is a sentence that is composed of
two or more independent clauses but no subordinate clauses.
• The invention of the microchip is the beginning of
personal computing but it meant the end of macro
computers.

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Independent clauses may be joined by coordinating conjunctions

(and, but, for, nor, or, yet) or by conjunctive adverbs
(accordingly, also, besides, consequently, furthermore, hence,
however, moreover, nevertheless, still, then, therefore, thus)
Also called adverbial conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs are
pathetic, confused little creatures.
They can't decide if they are adverbs or conjunctions in traditional
grammar! Accordingly, they try to be both. This tendency leads
to all sorts of punctuation problems.
Before we go into detail, however, we should take a look at the
most common conjunctive adverbs and adverbial phrases so we
can better recognize them. View this line-up not with contempt,
but with pity for these half-breed misfits:

Because they are akin to adverbs, conjunctive adverbs can indeed

function as simple adverbs. In such a situation, they merely
modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb. When they behave
this way, they do not need any special punctuation. They are
simply functioning as adverbs. For example, consider these two
sentences:
1. She was accordingly quite interested in grammar.
2. However ugly the gargoyle may be, I will go on a blind
date with him.

Here, accordingly and however are simple adverbs. All accordingly

does is modify the verb interested. All however does is modify the
adjective ugly.

On the other hand, conjunctive adverbs can also appear at the

start of a sentence or clause to indicate result, concession,
apposition, addition, time, contrast, summary, or reinforcement.

Result: therefore, consequently, of course

Concession: nevertheless, yet, still, after all, of course
Apposition: for example, for instance, that is, namely, in other
words
Addition: moreover, furthermore, also, in addition, likewise,
further
Time: meanwhile, in the meantime
Contrast: however, instead, on the contrary, on the other hand,
in contrast, rather
Summary: thus, in conclusion, then

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Reinforcement: further, in particular, indeed, above all, in fact

When conjunctive adverbs function this way, separate them from

the rest of the sentence with a comma. In such cases, the
conjunctive adverb needs a comma after it because it is a phrase
appearing before an independent clause.
Note the commas in the following sentences.

" Therefore, I will eat eggs!

" In other words, grammar is a useful skill.
" Likewise, all students should embrace the sad little conjunctive
adverbs.
" Meanwhile, the conjunctive adverbs sat pouting in the corner.
" However, we should not mock conjunctive adverbs.
" Thus, the conjunctive adverbs will bow before their masters, the
cruel semicolons.
" Above all, we must realize conjunctive adverbs are an important
part of the grammatical
ecosystem.
Finally, sometimes conjunctive adverbs try to pretend they are
full conjunctions and hook two independent clauses together. This
pretension is indeed a sad travesty! They are not really full
conjunctions, and they can't do that job by themselves. Typically,
they lurk just behind a semicolon in this situation, and it is the
semicolon that does the real job of joining the two independent
clauses. A comma should always follow the conjunctive adverb in
such instances.

" The gods thundered in the heavens; furthermore, the mortals

below cowered in fear.
" The bank robber dodged the bullet; however, Joey was shot
seventeen times in the tibia.
" Susan appreciated the flowers; nevertheless, a Corvette would
be a finer gift.
" Dr. Wheeler is a grammar tyrant; thus, he requires correct
punctuation.
" She will go on a blind date with George; however, he is a really
ugly fellow.
" The tyrannosaurs were migrating south; meanwhile, the
apatosaurs breathed a sigh of relief.
" The conjunctive adverbs pretend they are conjunctions;
however, the semicolon is what really connects the two clauses
together.

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Note that if students use a comma instead of a semicolon in the

examples above, they have created a comma splice. Such
formations absolutely require the semicolon in front of the
conjunctive adverb and a comma after the conjunctive adverb.

(3) A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one

independent clause and at least one subordinate clause.

The person who looks for success often finds it. [The independent
clause is the person often finds it. The subordinate clause is who
looks for success.]

(4) A compound-complex sentence is a sentence that contains

two or more independent clauses and at least one subordinate
clause.

The person who looks for success often finds it, but then he does
not know what to do with it.

CHAPTER FOUR: DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIALOGUES

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IV. 1 WEEKEND PLANS

Situation: Laurie, Christie, and Sarah are making plans for the
coming weekend.

Laurie: So, what are your plans for this weekend?

Christie: I don’t know. Do you want to get together or
something?
Sarah: How about going to see a movie? Cinemax 26 on Carson
Boulevard is showing Enchanted.
Laurie: That sounds like a good idea. Maybe we should go out to
eat beforehand.
Sarah: It is fine with me. Where do you want to meet?
Christie: Let’s meet at Summer Pizza House. I have not gone
there for a long time.
Laurie: Good idea again. I heard they just came up with a new
pizza. It should be good because Summer Pizza House always has
the best pizza in town.
Sarah: When should we meet?
Christie: Well, the movie is shown at 2:00PM, 4:00PM, 6:00PM
and 8:00PM.
Laurie: Why don’t we go to the 2:00PM show? We can meet at
Summer Pizza House at noon. That will give us plenty of time to
enjoy our pizza.
Sarah: My cousin Karen is in town. Can I bring her along? I hate
to leave her home alone.
Christie: Karen is in town? Yes, bring her along. Laurie, you
remember Karen? We met her at
Sara’s high school graduation party two years ago.
Laurie: I do not quite remember her. What does she look like?
Sarah: She has blond hair, she is kind of slender, and she is about
your height.
Laurie: She wears eyeglasses, right?
Sarah: Yes, and she was playing the piano off and on during the
party.
Laurie: I remember her now. Yes, do bring her along Sara. She is
such a nice person, and funny
too.
Sarah: She will be happy to meet both of you again.

28
Christie: What is she doing these days?
Sarah: She graduated last June, and she will start her teaching
career next week when the new
school term begins.

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Laurie: What grade is she going to teach?

Sarah: She will teach kindergarten. She loves working with kids,
and she always has such a good rapport with them.
Christie: Kindergarten? She must be a very patient person. I
always think kindergarten is the
most difficult class to teach. Most of the kids have never been to
school, and they have never been away from mommy for long.
Sarah: I think Karen will do fine. She knows how to handle young
children.
Laurie: I think the first few weeks will be tough. However, once
the routine is set, it should not be too difficult to teach
kindergarten.
Christie: You are right. The kids might even look forward to going
to school since they have so many friends to play with.
Sarah: There are so many new things for them to do at school
too. They do a lot of crafts in kindergarten. I am always amazed
by the things kindergarten teachers do.
Laurie: Yes, I have seen my niece come home with so many neat
stuff.
Christie: Maybe we can ask Karen to show us some of the things
that we can do for this Halloween.
Laurie: Maybe we can stop by the craft store after the movie.
What do you think, Sara?
Sarah: I will talk to her. I think she will like that. It will help her
with school projects when Halloween comes.
Christie: Michael’s is a good store for crafts. It always carries a
variety of things, and you can find almost anything there.
Laurie: There is a Michaels store not far away from Cinemax 26.
I believe it is just around the corner, on Pioneer Avenue. We can
even walk over there.
Sarah: So, we plan to meet for pizza at noon, go to the movies at
two, and shop at Michael’s afterward. Right?
Laurie and Christie: Yes.

EXPRESSIONS
Get together: Ngồi lại với nhau
It sounds like a good idea: Đó là ý kiến hay
Beforehand: Trước khi, từ trước
Come up with: Nghĩ ra được một ý kiến gì đó
She is in town: Cô ta đang ở đây
Bring someone along: Đem người nào theo
Off and on: Làm rồi lại ngưng rồi lại làm, không liên tục
What is she doing these days?: Cô ta đang làm gì bây giờ?
Teaching career: Nghề dạy học

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School term: khóa học

Kindergarten: Lớp mẫu giáo
Have a good rapport with: Rất hợp với
Once the routine is set: Một khi lề thói đã được xác lập
Look forward to: Mong mõi
Craft: Đồ thủ công
School project: Dự án của trường
A variety of things: Nhiều thứ khác nhau
It is around the corner: Gần góc đường

IV.2 A VISIT TO THE DOCTOR’S OFFICE

Situation: Laura has not been feeling well lately. Today she goes
to see her doctor for a physical checkup.

Laura: Good morning, I have an appointment with Doctor Clark

at 8:30.
Clerk: Let me pull your record. In the meantime, please sign-in
and have a seat.
Nurse: Laura Nicholson.
Laura: Here.
Nurse: Follow me to Room A please.
Nurse: Here we are. What are your reasons for seeing Doctor
Clark today?
Laura: Well, lately I have been feeling tired, and occasionally I
have had really bad headaches and an upset stomach. On top of
that, I have had this persistent cough for the last two weeks.
Nurse: When did you start having these symptoms?
Laura: I started feeling tired about two months ago; then, a little
bit after that the headaches came. I got the upset stomach long
before feeling tired.
Nurse: Are you taking any medications?
Laura: Only my vitamins.
Nurse: What vitamins are you taking?
Laura: I am taking a multi-vitamin tablet and extra Vitamin C
every day.
Nurse: OK, let me take your vital signs.
Laura: How am I doing?
Nurse: Everything is good—normal blood pressure and no high
temperature. Please wait here for a minute. Doctor Clark will be
with you in a moment.
Laura: Thank you.
Doctor: Good morning, Laura.

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Laura: Good morning, Doctor.

Doctor: I see here that you started feeling tired two months ago,
and then you started having bad headaches. You also have had
an upset stomach and a persistent cough. Did you run a fever
too?
Laura: No, doctor.
Doctor: Let me do a quick physical check up.
Doctor: Please take a deep breath, hold your breath, and exhale.
Do it again please.
Doctor: Were there any changes in your diet or your weight
lately?
Laura: I ate the usual things, but I lost five pounds recently.
Doctor: Did you suffer from insomnia?
Laura: Well, it is pretty hard for me to fall asleep when I go to
bed. I also woke up many times during the night.
Doctor: Do you drink? Do you smoke?
Laura: No.
Doctor: How are things at work?
Laura: There was a change of ownership three months ago, and
I had to work a lot of overtime, even during the weekend.
Doctor: It looks like you have pneumonia. Other than that, I do
not see any problems. You are probably under stress from
changes at work, and the stress causes headaches, upset
stomach, and sleeplessness. For now, try to relax and exercise.
It may solve your problems. Come back to see me again if the
symptoms persist, and I will do further tests. I am going to give
you a prescription for your pneumonia. Are you allergic to any
medications?
Laura: Not to my knowledge.
Doctor: OK, take this medication three times a day after you eat.
Also, I want you to have some blood tests. Stop by the laboratory
on your way out and have the nurse draw your blood.
Laura: I am anxious to know my cholesterol level. When will I
get the results of the blood test?
Doctor: The results will be available in two weeks. Don’t stress
yourself. I think everything will be OK.
Laura: Thank you, Doctor.
Doctor: You are welcome.

EXPRESSIONS

Have an appointment with:

Pull somebody’s record:
In the meantime:

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Have a seat, please:

Here we are:
Persistent cough:
Upset stomach:
Symptom:
Long before:
Take somebody’s vital signs:
The doctor will be with you in a moment:
run a fever:
Physical checkup:
Diet:
Suffer from insomnia:
Change of ownership:
It looks like:
Sleeplessness:
It may solve your problems:
If the symptoms persist:
Give a prescription:
Be allergic to:
Not to my knowledge:
Blood test:
Stop by the laboratory on the way out:
Draw somebody’s blood:
The results will be available in two weeks:
Don’t stress yourself!:

IV.3 Going to the market

Situation: Laura’s mother had asked her to go grocery shopping

before she went to work this
morning. Since Laura is still busy with her homework, she asks
her sister Martha to go to the
market for her.
Laura: Mom had asked me to go grocery shopping before she left
for work this morning, but I
need to finish my school project. Can you go for me, Martha?
Martha: I guess I can. I am done with my homework. What did
mom want you to buy?
Laura: Well, she wanted me to buy enough groceries for the whole
week. Besides meat, some
fish and vegetables, we can buy whatever else we want for snacks
and breakfast.
Martha: What do you want for breakfast?

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Laura: I guess some cereal as usual.

Martha: I do not want cereal everyday. I will buy some pancakes
and syrup then.
Laura: Get the new Fine Food pancakes in the frozen food section
please. I want to see how it tastes.
Martha: Do we still have enough coffee and cream for mom and
dad?
Laura: Yes, we do. Talking about coffee and cream, you better
buy some milk also. We almost ran out of it.
Martha: Next, what do you want for snacks?
Laura: Some chips would be fine with me. You probably want your
chocolate cookies.
Martha: I better write down all these things; otherwise, I will
forget them by the time I get to the
market. I would hate to make two trips to take care of things.
Laura: Right! As far as meat, mom wants some pork and some
chicken.
Martha: Just any kind of pork?
Laura: I forgot to ask mom about that. Anyways, you can ask the
butcher for his opinion. He
knows what is best.
Martha: How about fish?
Laura: Mom wants some salmon and some catfish. Make sure that
they are fresh.
Martha: How much salmon and catfish should I buy?
Laura: Oh, buy four pieces of salmon filet and four pieces of
catfish filet. Mom does not like to
get the whole fish.
Martha: Are these fish filets sold by weight or by the piece?
Laura: I am not very sure. Just buy four decent sized pieces. Not
too big and not too small.
Martha: Do I need to buy some spices so mom can marinate the
fish?
Laura: Yes, get some ground pepper and some garlic.
Martha: Now, how about vegetables? Mom probably wants
carrots, potatoes, cabbages and some lettuce.
Laura: That would be fine. We need some fruits also. What do you
want?
Martha: Dad always packs an apple for lunch everyday. I want
the same thing.
Laura: We have already run out of eggs. So, get a carton of eggs
also.
Martha: How about some soft drinks?

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Laura: No, buy some bottled water instead. It is healthier for us.
We need to cut down on our intake of sugar, as too much sugar
is not good for our bodies.
Martha: I need to put bread on the list before I forget. Should I
get one loaf or two?
Laura: One loaf will be enough. Put down a bag of rice also.
Martha: Do we need anything for dessert?
Laura: Get a box of ice cream.
Martha: Ice cream? Isn’t ice cream packed with sugar?
Laura: Yes, but since I already drink water instead of soft drinks,
one or perhaps two scoops of ice cream after dinner is not too
bad. Besides, mom loves ice cream, especially cherry vanilla.
Martha: OK, I will put down one box of ice cream if you say so.
Do you want me to buy some pastries for you?
Laura: I know the pastries at the market are delicious; however,
no is my answer. Do not tempt me, Martha.
Martha: Just asking, Laura.
Laura: You have quite a few items to take care of. You need to
get going.
Martha: Yes, the list is quite long. By the time I get to the cashier
to pay, I will probably have a
full shopping cart. OK, I am all set to go. I will be back soon.
Laura: Drive carefully please!
Martha: I will.
EXPRESSIONS
Go grocery shopping:
Leave for work:
I guess I can:
I am done with my homework:
Enough for the whole week:
Frozen food:
I want to see how it tastes:
Run out of something:
By the time:
Take care of something:
Right!:
Marinate:
Cut down on our intake of sugar:
Loaf of bread:
Besides:
Don’t tempt me!:
You need to get going:
Shopping cart:

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I am all set to go:

I will be back

Bibliography
1. Allen, W. S. (1969). living english structure. London: Longmans, Green
and Co LTD.
2. NATALIE XUÂN VĂN, A. C. (n.d.). CONVERSATION FOR ALL
OCCASIONS.
3. Oliveira, S. (n.d.). Welcome to 500+ Real English Phrases.
www.espressoenglish.net/english-speaking-courses.

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